Recipe Post: Broccoli Chedd'r Mini-Quiches + A Place for Pleasure Foods

Some days you wake up bursting with ideas, and you just have to see them through, or you feel like you'll actually burst. Today was one of those days.

I've always loved the combination of broccoli and cheddar cheese; something I've frankly missed since going vegan. I've been happy to see an influx of vegan-friendly plant-based cheezes arriving on the market. While they may not all have the most nourishing profile of ingredients, there is something to be said for nourishing nostalgia.

I read an interesting post on the Coach Calorie blog yesterday about how those who wish to lose weight (or get healthy, or any number of health goals) first eliminate their favourite foods, as though deprivation and misery are the keys to success.

And I will echo the point: They're not.

Satiety and satisfaction, though very similar, are not necessarily one and the same. Satiety is a response in the body that tells you it has achieved physical fullness and nutrient balance. It is meant to keep us from eating in excess and signalling that our body has what it needs for now. Making sure a meal is macronutrient-balanced is a great way to achieve satiety.

Satisfaction, however, runs on a deeper level. A meal can be perfectly macronutrient-balanced, but if it tastes bland, has an unpleasant mouthfeel, or is otherwise awful to consume, it's not going to be satisfying on an emotional level. Food should taste good and be enjoyable to eat, if not all the time, then at least the majority of the time. This is also obviously not to say we should eat cake for breakfast, a bag of chips for snack, pizza for lunch, *a healthy dandelion salad for dinner*, and then ice cream for dessert.

We should endeavour to learn how to cook food with spices, not be afraid of healthy amounts of fat, add a dash of sea salt here and there. And of course, we should not feel like we need to put a moratorium on all of our favourite foods. Being adventurous in the kitchen and trying alternative ingredients to replicate your favourite flavours can be healthful in its own way; not just physically, but in appealing to your inner child, your hidden chocoholic, your secret cheese junkie.

So circling back to vegan cheezes. I woke up this morning wanting to do *something* with chickpea flour, *something* with broccoli and cheez. LIGHTBULB MOMENT! and I whipped up these Broccoli Chedd'r Mini-Quiches. I'll be honest, it was about an hour of deciding what to put in the bowl - would this really taste good? should I add more of this? what will this do to the colour? - and wondering, once it was in the oven, whether it would turn out at all the way I wanted it to.

But that was also part of the fun. Learning to cook and drawing on that experience; plus feeling adventurous and drawing on foods-loved-past; leads to a fascinating alchemy of nourishment for health and nostalgia.

Plus, the results are in: Tasty, nutritious... and not only satiates my body, but satisfies my secret cheese junkie. (Full disclosure: I ate three once I got them out of the oven.)

Savoury Vegan Broccoli Chedd’r Mini-Quiches

A vegan, gluten-free twist on a classic flavour combination. Chickpea flour, or besan, is a versatile, high-protein, gluten-free flour that is well worth making a pantry staple. Its cooked texture and flavour lends itself perfectly to replacing eggs for making scrambles, omelettes, and of course, quiches. Nutritional yeast (“nooch”) adds a cheesy flavour while also providing an additional protein and B-vitamin boost. These broccoli chedd’r mini-quiches are beautiful for a brunch, or as a quick grab-and-go breakfast. Serve au naturel or with a favourite sauce, such as vegan hollandaise, sour cream, or for a spicy kick, hot sauce or sriracha. Makes 12 mini-quiches.

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen organic broccoli florets

Coconut oil for the muffin pan OR paper cupcake liners

1½ cups chickpea/garbanzo bean flour (besan)

1 tsp. GF baking powder

2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (increase to 3 Tbsp. + more for sprinkling if not using vegan chedd’r)

¼ tsp. organic ground turmeric

¼ to ½ tsp. sea salt (you may wish to use a little more if not using vegan chedd’r)

¼ tsp. organic chili powder

Pinch each fresh ground black pepper and red chili flakes

Optional: pinch black salt, to taste

1¾ cup unsweetened hemp or almond milk OR water

⅓ cup vegan chedd’r shreds, such as Daiya or Earth Island, plus more for sprinkling, optional (or use more nooch as indicated above)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375˚F. Grease or line your muffin tin.

In a pot with a steamer basket, steam the broccoli until just cooked (it should be bright green). Transfer broccoli to a strainer and run cool water over it to stop cooking. Allow to drain off as much moisture as possible. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, nooch, and spices). Whisk to mix.

Add the hemp milk or water and whisk to mix.

Add the ⅓ cup chedd’r, if using. Gently fold into batter.

Start spooning the batter into the muffin tin, about half-filling each compartment. You should still have some batter left after. Distribute the broccoli into the compartments. Spoon the remaining batter evenly over the broccoli. Sprinkle extra chedd’r or nooch on top of each mini-quiche.

Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake about 18-20 minutes, until just firm. A toothpick inserted in the middle a quiche should come out clean.

Allow to cool slightly before removing mini-quiches from the tin. You may need to use a butter-knife to lift the edges away from the sides neatly if not using liners. Transfer to a plate and serve. Alternatively place the mini-quiches on a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before storing them in containers or sandwich bags for grab-and-go breakfasts or snacks.

This recipe also appears on SaraGalipeau.ca in Recipe of the Month Archive, April 2016. Get the pdf here.

Fresh Motivation: The Sequel

Chillin' after yoga in the park.

About a month ago I wrote about summer bringing about fresh motivation. Sadly, motivation ebbs and flows along a spectrum, rushing and receding from day to day. One aspect I've continually struggled with is following through with my plans to work out. I've gone through a lot of pre-workout energizer (though not entirely wasted - some of that energy was put to good use on my workdays, and aided some epic brainstorming sessions).

Just last night I stumbled upon an article posted on the Mercola site. The thing that's been missing of late, that I used to be able to do quite well, is that ability to just get up and go (outside, to the gym, to my mat in the basement, whatever) without thinking about it.

So I've issued a Challenge. For the month of August, I challenge YOU (and myself, of course) to fit in one workout a day. This can be anything that gets you moving and your heart rate up. This can be a workout DVD in your living room. This can be taking the stairs to your office or apartment instead of the elevator. This can be taking your dog or cat or pig for a walk in new terrain. This can be cleaning out your basement for a garage sale. This can be dancing like a maniac to your favourite song when no one's watching.

It doesn't have to be complicated or overly strenuous. The point is to make physical activity a natural part of your healthy day, like drinking water and eating your vegetables. Log your efforts over the course of the month and see that it's not that hard after all.

I'll be putting my daily workouts, no matter how big or small, on Twitter. Today being day 1, I've already tweeted my first workout. Get over there and follow along!

What will you do today?

Summer is a Season of Fresh Motivation! Plus: Green Smoothie Challenge Prize Info...

Apple Basil Lime Margarita

If you're like me, maybe you find that your creative energy reaches its highest highs when the days are long, bright, and sunny.  And as such, you might find that when the days are short, dark, and cold, your inspiration and sticktoitiveness runs dry.  Maybe it's all that natural vitamin D, that potent pre-hormone mood-boosting not-really-a-vitamin powerhouse that's formed in our skin under the right kind of sunlight.  I love that stuff.

Back to summer.

I've had a swell of the aforementioned creative energy of late (thus ending the months-long silence on this blog) and while the focus is still a work in progress (my inner ADHD-kid is practically screaming "can we play outside today?!" and I've literally lost my train of thought several times just writing this sentence), those times I've been focused have been used to spark new ideas, put a new spin on some old ones, and importantly, hone in on what I really want to do and who I really want to help.

Changes to what I call my mission statement will be rolling out on my website and socials as I get the wording down in the next weeks.  I will say that I've spent a lot of time thinking about what gets me going the most when I'm talking to clients and customers, what kinds of things I've had experience with personally, and what areas are fascinating to me, that I'm most interested in when it comes to learning more.  These include but are in no way limited to plant-based nutritional support for fitness and athletics, cognitive function, and reproductive and sexual health.  It may not seem like there's much interrelation between these subjects, broad topics of study that they are, but having experience with all of these, and from what I've learned and observed, everything the body does and is capable of doing is connected to everything else.  Again, fascinating.

Blushing Pear Hydrator

Similarly, I've always been committed to making my workshops, recipes, e-books, and online challenges vegan- and allergy-friendly.  I chose the banner Love Plants for Life to reflect my love of plant-based food, and the belief that sourcing the majority of one's diet from these foods, whether you're vegan, vegetarian, omni, flexi, Paleo, or what-have-you, promotes lifelong vibrant health.  Plant foods are a common denominator in any healthful whole-foods diet - so why not learn to Love Plants for Life?  (See what I did there?  Heh.)

In my ongoing quest for knowledge, I'm taking steps to learn more about healthy food preparation as it relates to plant-based foods, with the aim to expand my current skills and apply them in my practice.  I've always had a knack for cooking without a recipe (thanks, Dad), and use that to create the recipes I post online, jot down for clients' menus, and demonstrate in my workshops; now I want to see what I can do with further instruction, to take my Love Plants for Life offerings in new directions.

And speaking of Love Plants for Life, my 10-day Green Smoothie Challenge is back with new recipes for 2015, and a new prize package: a Smoothie Sampler Kit, filled up with a pile of my favourite vegan- and allergy-friendly smoothie ingredients (approximate prize value $60)!  I've really enjoyed putting together the recipes for this Challenge.  It's free, and you get a new summery smoothie recipe daily from July 7-16 just for signing up!  Registration closes and shopping lists get sent out July 3, so if you want to get in on the new recipes and the prize draw, get to it!  Group start July 7.  Prize draw July 20.  Register here: http://saragalipeau.ca/news.html

Prize Pack with all the stuff! (Updated July 14)

Notice: Prize draw eligibility open to registered Challengers only - must sign up via the link above.  The email address you provide will only be used to send you LPFL 10-day Green Smoothie Challenge emails, including notice of prize draw winner.  Registration automatically enters the subscriber in the prize draw.  Further opportunities for extra entries include sharing Challenge posts on Facebook or Twitter (up to 3 extra entries) and posting smoothie photos in the private Facebook group or on Twitter @SaraGalipeauRHN and/or with the hashtag #LPFLsmoothies (up to 5 extra entries).

Now... let's play outside!

Personal Post: On Making Peace with Imperfection

So here I am, back again, after a season-long technological hiatus.  These past 14 months have been a rollercoaster, reaching the apex just over 2 months ago, and now finally leveling out to near-normalcy again.

As a nutritionist I'm trained to piece together the symptomatology, the clues presented in my clients' cases, and chart the best course for them to take on their path to taking back control of their own health.  So it was frustrating when, in summer 2013, I had no idea what was happening to me.

I found myself suddenly faced with month-long periods.  I would bleed for a month; strangely, not enough to warrant the use of much more than 2 or 3 pantyliners per day most of the time, so for that at least I was thankful; but unfortunately, still with cramping bad enough that I resorted to ibuprofen more often than not.  The bleeding would then stop for a month (though on a couple of occasions, there were only 2 weeks' interim), and resume again for another month in the same way.

With this level of discomfort, I was miserable.  I began comfort eating whatever I was craving, telling myself I deserved it with the day I was having.  I had stopped going to the gym by November, consequently started gaining weight, pulled away from intimacy with my husband, and quite honestly, I believe I was depressed, amplified too by a couple of family tragedies in the last quarter of 2013.  I also felt ashamed that I, a person who should be exemplary in health and vitality, was sick and sinking into bad habits.

I finally had an appointment in December with my GP, who ordered blood work and an ultrasound.  My iron stores, not surprisingly, were low, so I took her advice and started an iron supplement.  The ultrasound revealed a "complex mass" of some kind on my right ovary, and by February a follow-up ultrasound confirmed that it might be a dermoid cyst, approximately 54mm in length.  I would be referred to a reproductive surgeon for a cystectomy.

One of many juices I made. Booster
Juice-inspired "Ginger Hammer":
2 large carrots, 2 navel oranges,
1 tart apple, and 1/2" piece
fresh ginger.

From what I knew, dermoids are something that can exist symptom-free in the body for one's whole life, and do not respond well to alternative therapies.  Again, that notion of the exemplary nutritionist reared in my mind.  I did what I could with what I knew while I waited for my referral; more to make myself feel like I was still in control, that I could still help myself.  I bought a juicer and started making fresh green juices most mornings; in addition to iron, I also took DIM supplements to help my liver process excess hormones, B complex for stress and metabolism, and curcumin to reduce inflammation; and as my cycles started to normalize again, gradually started a gentle workout routine again.

Over the course of the 4 months I waited to get into the OR, I made my peace with not having perfect control of the inner workings of my body.  That said, the stress of waiting still took its toll, and I continued to comfort-eat, more so in the weeks leading up to the operation.

Stress-eating aside, I felt I was finally on the upswing when it came time for my surgery in mid-July.  Knowing that possible risks of letting it alone could include torsion and atrophy of the ovary, and a resulting reduction or loss of fertility, I let go of being in control of the process, and made my peace that having the surgery was in my best interests right now.  

A few words about the surgery day itself: Having never been put under anaesthesia before, I was extremely anxious, and it was the scariest day I can remember - especially the last 20 minutes prior to entering the OR: waiting on the gurney, being told to get off the gurney and walk into the OR and lie down on the operating table under my own power (when all I wanted to do was turn and run), having electrodes placed on my skin and an IV hooked into my hand.  And after all that, I don't even remember the moment I closed my eyes; just waking up sometime afterward, and fading in and out of sleep for several hours afterward.

The recovery period was where I felt I could take control of my health again.  The relief of having this "mass" removed from my body was palpable.  The stress of waiting, waiting, waiting - lifted.  I would learn happily that the surgeon was able to remove the whole cyst and keep my ovary intact; and later on that biopsy revealed no malignancy.  I chose nutrient-dense soft foods for the first few days after the surgery: organic applesauce, smooth blended soups, homemade protein smoothies.  Once I was in the clear to do so, I resumed my regular supplements and added a few especially healing products to the lineup (a protein powder rich in l-glutamine, an amino acid important for tissue repair; a post-workout recovery shake loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients; greens powder and omega-3; and a nourishing topical skin oil for the scars, to name a few).  

I gradually reintroduced myself to exercise, first with a light yoga DVD in the comfort of my basement a couple of times a week, and then returning to beach volleyball with my friends.  (The most uncomfortable part of this was not the incisions themselves, but the spray-on suture covering them.  As it eroded, it would irritate the surrounding skin, making it unpleasant to twist or bend too far.)  I also took the time off to step back from some of my obligations as a business owner and let myself readjust to my situation.

I still have a ways to go before I can say I'm back to where I was before it all happened.  I still have some extra weight to shift, some bad habits to break (comfort-eating admittedly top of the list), and motivation issues to overcome.  

I ran my first LPFL Green Smoothie Challenge
during my pre-op "waiting period".
The Challenge is back again for October!

To look at the positive, I'm getting back into a regular workout routine, my cycles are normalizing again, I'm reestablishing closeness with my husband, and rediscovering my interest in all things nutrition, which includes doing product research, running workshops, and bringing my Love Plants for Life offerings back in force for the fall and winter.  

It's my hope that sharing my experience, knowing that I'm not perfect and striving for a return to health myself, will inspire you to join me on the way.

Let's do this!

Check out my website's News tab for a calendar of events for this fall, including release dates for my Love Plants for Life offerings!

The information in this article reflects my personal experience and approach to my own health, and is not meant to replace the advice of your health care practitioner.  Talk to your doctor, naturopath, or registered nutritionist about your health status prior to adding any supplements to your routine to determine what's right for you.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month - Protect Yourself!

There are many things to celebrate in the month of May - Cinco de Mayo, the Tulip Festival and Mothers' Day, farmers' markets are opening up for the season, and Victoria Day, the first long weekend kicking off summer.  May is also abundant with awareness days and weeks, and May itself marks Mental Health Awareness, Asthma & Allergies Awareness, and - the subject of this post, one that really hits home for me - Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

Just over two years ago, in early March 2012, my fair-skinned, strawberry-blond, copiously befreckled husband stepped out of the shower, and as he was dressing, I noticed a particularly dark spot on his left shin - something I could not recall having seen there before.  I had just completed an advanced pathology course, and knowing how to spot potentially cancerous moles was one of the subjects covered in the lectures.  Kevin's freckles are generally small and a light reddish-brown colour, even the larger mole- or birthmark-like spots, and this one was dark and shiny, with an irregular pinkish border on one side.  I urged him to have it checked out by our GP, who removed it for biopsy.

Kevin's suspicious mole, March 3 2012,
later confirmed stage 0 melanoma.
Note the colour and irregular border.
This mole was approximately 0.5cm in diameter.

He got the call at work, and called me afterward to share.  Sure enough, the results had came back, in a bad news/good news kind of way.  The bad news: it was melanoma.  The good news: it was only stage 0 - we had caught it just in time.  I still can't quite describe the mixture of emotions running through me at that moment - fear and panic ("I was right to be concerned!"), relief and gratitude ("We caught it early, thanks to that course!"), and juuust a touch of hysteria ("I need to take care of you!  What happens now?  Let's go load up on vitamin D, sunscreen, and new hats, right now!").  Not surprisingly, he took the rest of the day off, not for himself, but for me.

Though they were sure they got it all when they did the biopsy, the area around the cancerous mole would be removed as a precaution in August: 1cm deep and 1" around, and a skin graft from a spot a few inches away applied to the excised area.  The excised tissue was tested and he was pronounced cancer-free, but he must go for full-body dermatological check-ups every 6 months until the 5-year mark.  Edit: he recently had one of these check-ups, and since he's been clear for nearly 2 years, he now only needs to go annually.

January 2013 (5 months post-op) -
Kevin now has 2 sizable scars on his left shin,
where the melanoma was excised (bottom)
and where the skin graft was taken (top).

In the time between and following Kevin's diagnosis and surgery, this story prompted many friends and family members to become more vigilant and check their own skin for irregular spots.  Now I'm sharing it with you, and I hope you'll take these steps to protect yourself and someone you love:

Know the signs and check yourself.  If you have any freckles or moles, do a monthly "spot check".  Be aware of the ABCDE visual signs of skin cancers.  Look in the mirror in good light - use a handheld mirror where necessary.  Get a friend or loved one to look at spots on your back or other hard-to-see places.  Take good-quality pictures of new or possibly unusual spots, preferably with a ruler or small object for measurement references to compare with next month's pictures of the same spots.  Be consistent - use the same camera and lighting sources.

Load up on vitamin D.  First, get your blood levels checked.  Ask your GP to add vitamin D to your blood work.  Unfortunately, this is not covered by OHIP (unless you meet certain criteria) and may cost around $50.
Why is vitamin D important?  Recent and growing research is showing that vitamin D helps modulate the immune system, an important factor in preventing and managing cancer cell growth.  Additionally, vitamin D is synthesized in the skin with sun exposure, and may provide some protection from the harmful rays of the sun.
Around 15 minutes per day of unprotected sun exposure in the summer can be enough to boost levels adequately, if not for the full year, then at least for the season.  However, as Canadians, we have less sun exposure in general, and are thus more susceptible to vitamin D deficiency, not just in the winter, but year-round (and especially with this winter having lasted so long, I suspect many people may be more deficient than usual).  For this reason, it is imperative to have your blood levels tested in the late winter-early spring when levels are naturally lowest, and supplement accordingly year-round.
In terms of supplementation, the RDI for vitamin D is 1000IU for adults and 400IU for children per day - if no deficiency currently exists.  Those who are deficient (showing <30ng/ml or <75nmol/L) need more than this to bring levels back to optimum (40-60ng/ml or 100-150nmol/L).  As an example, my first vitamin D blood test showed a very surprisingly low 25nmol/L, and I took between 2000-4000IU of lanolin-sourced emulsified vitamin D3 per day for over a year (with the higher amount in the winter and on very cloudy days), until my next annual physical, where my blood test showed 126nmol/L.  I recommend at least 2000IU per day for adults on a regular basis, and more for those who are immune-compromised (e.g. autoimmune, inflammatory conditions, digestive disorders, etc) or suffer from seasonal affective disorder.

Protect your skin.  "Slip on a shirt, slap on a hat, slop on some sunscreen."  I grew up with this mantra for sun protection, and it still holds true.  Cover up wherever possible.  After you've gotten some unprotected sun exposure for vitamin D synthesis, apply sunscreen.  Look for natural brands with an SPF of at least 30 at your local health food store, eco shop, or larger supermarkets, or try finding one online or through independent cosmetics retailers.  If there is a "tester" tube available, try it first to be sure you like the feel of it on your skin, as some may be thick and greasy, which could clog pores and exacerbate breakouts; and/or leave a white residue on skin and clothing.  I like Aubrey Organics, Nature's Gate, and Arbonne Baby Care sunscreens.  The protection factor (SPF) weakens over time, so it's best to replace your sunscreen annually.
Avoid tanning, including tanning beds.  Over time this damages your skin, leading to premature aging, and increases your risk for skin cancers.  People with fair complexions, many freckles or moles, blue eyes, and blonde or red hair (such as Kevin) are at higher risk.
Remember too that your skin absorbs about 60% of whatever you put on your skin into your bloodstream within just minutes after application!  Avoid products containing known carcinogens, such as parabens and phthalates.
Sunburns (even just one bad one) also increase the risk of skin cancers.  While after-burn care may not reduce your risk, it's still worth doing to get relief.  Try fresh aloe vera gel or chilled chamomile tea on your skin, or a natural after-sun or calendula cream to cool the burn.  Coconut oil is also soothing.  Up your intake of antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, and minerals zinc and selenium, all of which are crucial to good skin health.  Orange, yellow, and red fruits and vegetables, as well as cruciferous vegetables and dark leafy greens, are great sources of vitamin A and C.  Nuts and seeds, particularly Brazil nuts, macadamias, pecans, and almonds are abundant with vitamin E, zinc, and selenium.  These nutrients are also available together in supplement formulas (look for "ACESZ" or similar).

So enjoy the sunny days of summer - and keep your skin safe.

How do you care for your skin in summer?

New to Juicing - What To Do With All This Pulp? A Recipe is Born!

It's no secret that I love kitchen gadgets.  From my multi-temperature kettle and my combination coffee-espresso maker, to my milk frother, to my citrus reamer and my apple corer.

Fresh resolve (let's say due to the onset of sunnier days and the promise of warmer temperatures) inspired me to take the plunge and add a masticating juicer to my lineup.

I've been a fan of Booster Juice's Ginger Hammer for some time - I especially love it during cold season - and it was naturally the first juice I attempted to make with my new contraption.  I was pleased with the result, and the potency of the juice's flavour (especially that of the ginger - wow!).

My version:

Organic Ginger Power Juice
- 1" piece peeled organic ginger root
- 2 to 3 medium-large organic carrots
- 1 organic granny smith apple

This is the basic recipe.  Since my first go at it I've added to it with whatever I had on hand: a handful of fresh organic wheatgrass here, a third of an organic cucumber there, maybe a rib or two of organic celery.  It makes about a cup of juice - just the right amount for my needs as a juicing noob.

Now, I knew going in that I would be left with a lot of vegetable fibre.  I also knew from reading various posts on various health-oriented blogs and Facebook groups that one can use the fibre to augment soups, sauces, and smoothies.  I added about half of my first "batch" of pulp to a green smoothie that same morning.  Note that if you do add the pulp to a smoothie, you'll more than likely have to add extra liquid.  That stuff is absorbent.  Let's just say that first smoothie was quite thick, filling, and honestly, kind of hard to get down.  Live and learn.

I'd also read that the pulp can be used in baking.  I knew I wanted to attempt baking with my homemade "Ginger Hammer" pulp, so though I made different juices, I mostly saved the pulp from the aforementioned cocktail until I either found or came up with a recipe.  I had collected about 4 juices' worth of pulp, and was starting to worry it would all go bad before I got to bake with it.

I did a little searching online and in my cookbooks, but didn't really find anything I wanted to make, or could make with what I currently had on-hand.

So I adapted another recipe of mine, and hoped for the best.

The original recipe is one that my mother gave to me - a simple oatmeal muffin recipe that came from a school home-ec cookbook, circa her high school years.  Being vegan, I've since adapted that recipe to suit, and from there it morphed into my Banana Chai Chocolate Chip Muffins.

I wanted hearty, filling muffins that would do for a quick breakfast or snack.  Since the banana chocolate chip version uses 2 bananas and ½ cup chocolate chips, I decided to try replacing one of those bananas with ⅔ cup pulp, and the chocolate chips with sunflower and pumpkin seeds.  Then I hoped for the best...

...And was pleased with the result!

So here's the recipe.  If you don't have a juicer, but want to try these muffins, check out some alternative suggestions for juice pulp at the end of the recipe.

Carrot Seed Ginger Power Muffins

These muffins are loaded with fibre and healthy fats, great to start your morning on the right foot.

 

-          1 cup organic whole spelt flour

-          ¾ cup organic oats

-          ½ cup organic coconut sugar

-          3 tsp. (1 Tbsp.) baking powder

-          1½ tsp. (½ Tbsp.) baking soda

-          ½ tsp. organic cinnamon

-          ¼ tsp. organic ground ginger

-          ½ tsp. sea salt

-          ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds

-          ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds

-          1 banana

-          ⅔ cup Ginger Power juicer pulp*

-          ¼ cup organic coconut oil

-          1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Preheat oven to 400ᵒF.

In a medium-large mixing bowl, stir together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder & soda, spices, and salt until well-combined, then add in seeds and stir until just mixed.

In a smaller mixing bowl, mash the banana.  Fold in the juicer pulp.  Add in the coconut oil (it’s okay if it’s still solid) and mash with banana and pulp.  Pour in the milk and stir well.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until well-combined.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill the cups of a regular muffin tray about ⅔ full.  Tip: Silicone or paper muffin cups can be used in the tray for easy cleanup.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let cool about 10-15 minutes before removing from tray.  Makes 1 dozen muffins.

*Make enough juice to yield approx. ⅔ cup pulp.  This juice recipe usually makes a little more than that. 

If you do not have a juicer, try this instead:

½ cup finely grated carrots

½ cup unsweetened apple sauce (use instead of banana), OR 1 small diced apple, mixed in after combining wet and dry ingredients

½ tsp. organic ground ginger (instead of ¼ tsp.)

February is Heart Month - 6 Ways to Show Your Heart You Care

Cinnamon hearts, paper hearts, heart-shaped boxes (of both the Nirvana and chocolate-filled variety)... the symbol of romantic love is ubiquitous in February, with Valentine's Day celebrations still fresh in our minds.  And perhaps not as well-celebrated, but definitely notable, February is also Heart Month, devoted to awareness of heart disease and stroke.  In that spirit, here are 6 ways to show your heart some love this month.

1) Antioxidants - particularly anthocyanins and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).  Anthocyanins are found in dark red, purple, blue, and black fruits and vegetables, such as blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, purple grapes, black plums, beets, eggplants, and purple potatoes.  A study using cherry juice highlighted its high content of antioxidants (particularly anthocyanins), crediting them for increased rate of cardiovascular recovery, as well as muscle strength recovery in a group of marathon runners, compared to the placebo group.  Try adding the foods listed above to reap the benefits.

CoQ10 is used for energy in the body, but also may assist recovery after a heart attack, improve muscle strength, and help lower blood pressure and angina.  It's found in several animal sources, such as game, beef, fish, dairy, and eggs, but there are also several plant-based sources, such as broccoli, spinach, peanuts, rye, wheat, and some berries.

2) Spices - especially cayenne, ginger, garlic, and cinnamon.  These spices can help improve bloodflow through vasodilation.  Their heat also improves bloodflow by causing flushing and mild sweating on the surface of the skin.  Additionally, they may also help thin the blood, and in the case of cinnamon, help regulate blood sugar fluctuations as well.  A recent study looked at the effects of aged garlic extracts and their beneficial effects when combined with certain blood pressure medications, noting better lowering effects than with just medication alone.  If you are taking blood thinning, anticoagulant, or blood pressure regulating medications, use caution when adding spices such as these to your diet, and particularly in the form of more concentrated herbal supplements.

3) Omega-3 fatty acids.  These unsaturated fats help keep the blood liquid and slippery, allowing for better bloodflow.  They are also naturally anti-inflammatory, helping keep blood vessels wide.  The most readily-utilized sources come from cold water fish, krill, and squid, since the form primarily found in their oils is pre-formed DHA.  Plant-sourced omega-3s, such as those from hemp, chia, walnuts, and flax, require more translations once in the body in order to reach the DHA form, but due to many factors, not least of which are stress and nutritional deficiencies, may get diverted from the right pathway.  That said, plant-based DHA supplements made from algae are a great back-up for plant-based eaters consuming omega-3s from other sources.  Again, if you are taking medications such as those listed in point 2, use caution with omega-3 supplements.
And don't forget other forms of unsaturated fats, such as those from olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.

4) Blood sugar balancing.  Prevent blood sugar spikes and fluctuations by avoiding high-sugar, refined foods, and eating regularly-spaced, macronutrient-balanced meals and snacks - that is, a combination of complex carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats.  Too much sugar in the blood can lead to inflammation of the blood vessels.  One of the theories of arterial plaque formation implicates damage from high blood sugar as a possible cause.  Getting enough fibre can also help slow the rise of sugar in the blood, and help sweep excess out of the body.  Try swapping out your breakfast doughnut and coffee for a slice of sprouted grain toast and natural almond butter and cup of green tea.

5) B vitamins - especially niacin, folic acid and B12.  Niacin can help balance blood cholesterol and triglycerides, folic acid helps improve elasticity of blood vessels, and B12 helps the body metabolize homocysteine, which can build up in the blood and is considered a marker for heart disease risk.  Remember that B12 deficiency is commonly considered something that affects vegetarians and vegans more than it does omnivores, but omnivores actually run a greater risk of deficiency.  Additionally, a deficiency in B12 can also affect folic acid levels as well, since the two work better together.  Great sources of niacin include: seafood, beef, mushrooms, potatoes, peanuts, avocados, dates, passionfruit, oats, and brown rice; folic acid: oranges, kale, Swiss chard, asparagus, broccoli, avocados, oats, beans and lentils; B12: eggs, dairy, fortified plant-based milks and cereals, and red star nutritional yeast.  Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, and kimchi can help optimize gut flora, which in turn produce more vitamin B12 for you!

6) Exercise - with emphasis on resistance training and cardiovascular workouts.  Resistance training helps build overall muscle strength and endurance, helping to decrease risk of injury and disability over the long term.  You can do resistance training with weights such as kettlebells, plates, or bar/dumbbells, or your own body weight.
Aerobic workouts help increase the heart's strength and improves efficiency of the pumping mechanism, and improves dilation of the blood vessels and oxygenation of the blood, leading to a lower resting heart rate and less strain on the heart.  Be aware that pushing your heart rate too high during exercise can lead to sudden dizziness and feeling faint, and can increase the risk of a cardiac event.  Knowing your max heart rate (roughly 200 minus your age in years) and keeping your heart rate in a target zone of 60-80% of that max can help strengthen your heart without pushing it too hard.  High-intensity interval training (HIIT), which incorporates short bursts of high-intensity exercise with short rest or low-intensity periods, is a great way to get your cardio, and burn some fat at the same time!

What are your favourite ways to love your heart?

Heart-healthy recipe: Sweetheart Blood Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

Protect Yourself with Probiotics - 5 Tasty Ways to Eat Your Bugs

The temperatures have been fluctuating wildly in the last few weeks, and it's safe to say cold season is in full swing.  Gut health is integral to staying healthy overall - the majority of your immune system actually lives in your digestive tract, in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT).

Your gut is no stranger to bacteria and other micro-organisms - it's home to billions of cells, different families and strains: lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, candida, enterococci, and more.  Some are beneficial, producing healthy by-products like vitamin B12 and helping us break down hard-to-digest matter; and others are parasitic, stealing nutrients from your body's own cells, feeding and propagating themselves on any drop of sugar you ingest.  It sounds scary, but your internal ecosystem is always trying to remain in balance.  Poor diet and excess acidity can work against your healthy bacterial allies.  Fortunately, we can help shore up the numbers of our microscopic comrades by sending in more troops - that is, eating more foods rich in bacterial cultures.

In addition to taking probiotic supplements, ranging from 1 billion for the unaccustomed to 10 billion or higher live cell count per dose, these are some of the food choices you can add in to bulk up your inner army:

1) Yogourt.  Organic, plain, unsweetened, and unflavoured.  The "name brand" yogourts come loaded with sugar and flavours and lots of other things you don't need in your yogourt (cochineal insect extract, anyone?), plus the high sugar content actually kills the bacterial culture long before you get around to eating it.  Your best bet is to hit up the health food store and look for your organic unsweetened yogourt and add your own toppings, like pomegranate arils (yum!), raw nuts and seeds, and shredded coconut if you need sweetness.  You can also add it to a smoothie.  Those who don't do dairy can look for coconut, almond, or soy yogourts.  You can even try making your own!

2) Kefir.  This is a "precursor" to yogourt, a cultured milk usually consumed as a beverage.  The same parameters apply - organic, plain, unsweetened, and unflavoured.  This can also be added to a smoothie, or add in some milk or coconut water and shake with protein, matcha tea, and/or greens powders for a super-healthy energy-boosting shake (great after a workout!).

3) Kombucha.  A fermented cultured tea beverage, it's rich in antioxidant polyphenols, and the fermentation process helps reduce the caffeine content of the tea, in addition to adding probiotic content.  Some brands will list an average cell count for their product (e.g. GT's can have around 2 billion cells per 240ml bottle!). Kombucha can be an acquired taste for some, as it can be a bit strong.  Try varieties that have fruit juice or spices added in.  My favourites are GT's Synergy Trilogy flavour (raspberry-lemon-ginger), Rise Rose Schizandra, and Tonica Green Tea Revival (green and white tea).  It can make a great, healthful replacement for pop due to its natural fizziness.  Watch the sugar content in some brands, as it can vary from 1 or 2g per serving to 9 or 10g per serving.  Remember that too much sugar is detrimental to microorganisms.  (Sugar also suppresses the immune system for an average of 5 hours!!)

4) Tempeh.  Made from soybeans fermented and pressed into cakes.  Tempeh can have a strong flavour on its own, but does well when marinated.  Try making your own sauces or dressings - experiment with Thai peanut, mandarin sesame, lemon tahini - and after marinating, eat the tempeh uncooked, since cooking destroys much of the probiotic content.  Slice for a sandwich filling, dice for a salad topping, or just eat it straight up if you like!

5) Fermented vegetables.  Think homemade organic sauerkraut and kimchi.  Eat them on their own, as a side dish, or as salad toppings.  It's best to make your own using traditional fermenting recipes, rather than storebought products that may not follow these techniques; while they may produce a similar flavour, the nutritional benefits may not be the same, with those important live cultures and enzymes missing in the process.  Some health food stores may offer "fresh", organic, homestyle fermented vegetables produced locally - check the fridge section for options.

What are your favourite ways to eat your bugs?

Superfood Spotlight: Raw Cacao

It's no secret that I love chocolate.  Ask me what my favourite food is, and pretty much without missing a beat, I'll say "chocolate" with a big smile on my face.  Sure, there have been other contenders for the top spot on my ever-evolving list of favourite foods, but my heart unwavering belongs to chocolate.  And the (chocolate) icing on the (also chocolate) cake?  Chocolate - real chocolate, raw cacao, not the processed, cheap crap that commercial chocolate-flavoured candy bars are made of - is loaded with health benefits.

First, raw cacao scores high on ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) lists for antioxidant activity.  Antioxidants fight free radical damage that can play a role in the development of health issues such as atherosclerosis, inflammation, premature aging, and even cancer.  Raw cacao is high in antioxidant polyphenols, particularly flavonoids.

Second, it's high in minerals iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, and zinc.  Iron forms the backbone of hemoglobin in red blood cells.  Calcium regulates muscle contraction, buffers acidity in the body, and makes up bone and tooth tissues.  Magnesium tends to be an underrated mineral, even though it performs over 300 functions in the human body, including regulating muscle contraction in conjunction with calcium, alkalizing tissues, balancing absorption of calcium, cleansing the blood, and fighting migraine and muscle pain by causing blood vessels to dilate.  Copper and zinc need to be in balance in the body, affecting mental and reproductive health - possibly why it's considered an aphrodisiac, and a symbol of fertility in ancient cultures!

Third, it's a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, which aids in muscle repair, as well as converting to the neurotransmitter serotonin.  Serotonin is one of your feel-good, happy, calming neurotransmitters, and acts as a natural antidepressant.  Further, serotonin converts into melatonin, which is needed to help regulate your circadian rhythms and tell you when to sleep.  The catch: cacao is also high in stimulant caffeine, which can help improve focus and mental clarity during the day, but inhibits sleep, so it's best to indulge earlier in the day.  The good news: if you do have trouble falling asleep when you need to, indulging in tryptophan-rich foods like raw cacao earlier in the day (i.e. morning and early afternoon) can help your body produce enough serotonin to convert to melatonin when it's supposed to, meaning sleep should come easier when you do try.

So, other than a high-quality organic dark chocolate, let's look at some great ways to include raw cacao in the diet.

Raw cacao nibs (Camino, organic)

1) Smoothies.  Add 1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. raw cacao powder to your morning green smoothie for chocolaty flavour, as well as energy and antioxidants.  If your blender can handle it, try cacao nibs instead.  One of my favourite combinations:
PB Cup Smoothie
- 1 organic banana (fresh or frozen)
- handful organic leafy greens (e.g. baby spinach, spring mix, kale...)
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. peanut, sunflower seed, or almond butter
- 1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. organic raw cacao powder or nibs
- ½ tsp. organic cinnamon
- 1 to 1½ cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- 2 to 3 ice cubes (optional if using frozen banana)

2) Baking.  Replace regular cocoa powder with raw cacao to give your baked treats an extra health boost.  Brownies, zucchini bread, muffins, cookies... yummy!  Add raw cacao nibs instead of nuts or chocolate chips for crunchy chocolate flavour combo.

3) Cooking.  One of my favourite chili recipes calls for a tablespoon of cocoa powder!  Cocoa adds an earthy depth to cooked dishes.  Why not use raw cacao for an extra dose of minerals?  Other ways to use cacao in your cooking include stews, mole sauces (these are very complex traditional Mexican sauces), and marinades or rubs for protein entrees.

Banana Nut Bread Oatmeal

4) Oatmeal.  If you haven't checked it out yet, my recipe for Banana Nut Bread Oatmeal uses cacao powder and optional nibs for a chocolaty craving-satisfying breakfast or snack.

5) Chia pudding.  Chia pudding is made by adding chia seeds to a liquid or plant milk and allowing it to set in the fridge.  Add a spoonful of cacao nibs to the initial mixture.  If you want to add cacao powder to your chia pudding, do so after it has set, and add the powder with a little bit of extra liquid to help it mix in smoothly.

6) Trail mix and energy balls.  Add a handful of raw cacao nibs to your bag of raw nuts, seeds, and organic sulphite-free cranberries to make a delicious energy-packed trail mix.  Add a spoonful or two of raw cacao powder and/or nibs to a batch of Coco-Cranberry Energy Balls or Raw Brownies for a tasty pre- or post-workout snack.  Now hit the trails!

7) Hot beverages.  The next time you stop in at your favourite cafe, top your plain latte with a sprinkling of cacao powder for a mocha flavour without adding sugary flavoured syrup.  A little goes a long way!  And did you know that "chocolate" as we know it was once an unsweetened beverage, spiced with chilis and enjoyed either hot or cold, as a health elixir for stamina and energy?  I love to make my own version of spiced hot cocoa in the colder months - so much so that my recipe for Spiced Hot Cocoa is the November Recipe of the Month on my website!

What are your favourite ways to enjoy cacao?

Healthy Holidays + Quick Recipe: Personal Vegan Apple Crisp

The days are getting cooler and darker, the leaves are transforming brilliantly before the trees shed this vibrant plumage to settle into their winter whites, and you may find your tastes and cravings run more toward warm and comforting foods.  And it's a great time to indulge them - but can we do that and still eat healthy?

In a word: yes!

The fall and winter seasons are dry and cold, sometimes crisp and even bitter - think of the crunch of dry leaves, a chill wind, or a fresh layer of ice on snow.  According to Ayurveda, eating foods with these similar Vata properties - dry, crisp, cool, bitter - can exacerbate symptoms of Vata imbalance, such as dry skin, crackling joints, and disarrayed thoughts.  To balance this, we turn to foods with opposing Kapha attributes - moist, warm, sweet, soft.

And not surprisingly, holiday fare is loaded with Kapha foods: yams and sweet potatoes, squash and pumpkin dishes, stuffing... and desserts.

That said, though these foods are grounding and can help balance excess Vata, it can be easy to overindulge and feel heavy, sleepy, and over-full.  Sticking to fibre-rich vegetable and legume dishes more often than starchy grains and potatoes, keeping meat portions reasonable (4 oz. is plenty), choosing a healthy fat at each meal, and watching portions overall can help minimize overeating.  Stick to your food log habits through the holidays, but don't punish yourself for "giving in" to dessert; instead, savour it slowly as a once-a-year treat.

Of course, making dessert healthier with nutritious, clean ingredients can help minimize holiday guilt, so here I'm giving you a healthier fall dessert option that you don't have to feel bad about serving to your guests - or eating all by yourself.  This is a single-serve recipe, so multiply it for however many people you want to serve.  It's an easy-to-make crowd-pleaser that always impresses when I bring it to my family's Thanksgiving feast.  Happy baking!

 Personal Vegan Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
- 1 small or ½ large organic apple (I used royal gala, but granny smith is amazing), cored and diced
- 1 Tbsp. organic coconut sugar (less if using a sweet apple)
- 1 Tbsp. organic oats
- 1 Tbsp. organic coconut oil
- ½ Tbsp. organic spelt flour
- ¼ tsp. organic cinnamon
- pinch sea salt
- 5-6 raw walnut or pecan halves, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400⁰F.

Spread the diced apple in the bottom of an oven-safe ramekin or French onion soup bowl.

Mix the remaining ingredients except walnuts in a small bowl to make the topping.  The mixture should be slightly clumpy but not powdery or pasty.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apple.
Arrange the nut halves on top.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes until sugar melts and apple is tender.
Serve warm.

Optional indulgences: drizzle with 1 tsp. pure maple syrup or a dollop of cashew cream; or serve à la mode with a scoop of maple or vanilla coconut ice cream.  Great with a cup of rooibos chai tea.

Make it gluten-free: look for certified uncontaminated GF oats, such as Only Oats, and skip the spelt flour (try it with coconut, almond, or rice flour, or all-purpose GF baking flour, instead).

Bonus: double everything except the sugar to enjoy dessert for breakfast.  Serve topped with ¼ cup coconut or almond yogourt and raw pumpkin seeds.

Enjoy!

Edit: This recipe also appears in my holiday recipe e-book, Love Plants for Life: Plant-Based Holiday Solutions, featuring 12 of my favourite allergy-friendly holiday recipes!  Available now.

The advice in this article is not meant to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care professional.  Always consult your health care professional before undertaking any radical change in your diet.

Supplement Review: Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer, Regular vs. Sugar-Free

Some days it can be hard to find the energy to get up and out the door for a workout.  There are many ways to help boost your energy reserves prior to exercise, and energy drinks have become a popular choice.  

However, the fizzy stuff that comes in cans ranging in size from small to monstrous also comes with a range of health risks, including racing heartbeat, insomnia, dysglycemia, and more, which affect the long-term health of the athlete, someone who would otherwise be considered in great health.  There have even been strings of sudden deaths of young athletes on the field from cardiac arrest, which have been attributed to overuse of these drinks.

Natural (and safer) ways to energize your body and mind before and during endurance exercise include dates with nuts or seeds, a banana, green or yerba mate tea, sweet potatoes, or brown rice.  Finding something easy to consume and portable can be especially advantageous.

Regular, açai-berry

Here I’ll review the first stage of a line of sport supplements I use regularly and have come to love.  The Vega Sport line is laid out quite simply, with colour-coded products for each stage of exercise: before (“Prepare”, yellow), during (“Sustain”, red), and after (“Recover”, blue).  There are products in each stage that are staples in my supplement cabinet to fuel my workouts, and one of these is the Pre-Workout Energizer.

Like most of the Vega Sport products, this is a drink powder that is mixed with water.  Until recently, there was only one form of this product that came in two flavours, lemon-lime and açai-berry, that come in individual-serving packets as well as 30-serving canisters.  The açai-berry is my flavour of choice, and I find it tastes like berry iced tea when I mix the full serving size with 12 oz. of water.  For days when I know my workout won’t be as intense, I’ll only use half a scoop in half the amount of water.

Sugar-free, açai-berry

Not too long ago, a sugar-free form of the Pre-Workout Energizer was introduced, in the same two flavours as the regular version, and also available in single-serve packets and 30-serving canisters.  I noticed that this new version was priced lower than the original ($1.69 vs. $2.49 for the singles; prices vary per retailer), so I picked up singles of both flavours to try.

Both versions contain lots of organic and high-quality energy-boosting ingredients, including yerba mate and green teas, medium-chain triglycerides from coconut oil, and pain-reducing herbal ingredients like turmeric.  (Note – due to its turmeric content, the product may stain your sports bottles if not washed or rinsed right away.)  The regular version also contains brown rice syrup as a source of sweetness as well as fast and sustained release carbohydrate.  The sugar-free version is sweetened with stevia leaf extract.

Here is my comparison for each version.

	Regular	Sugar-Free
Taste (mixed with 12 oz. water)	Like iced tea!	Stevia is pretty noticeable, flavour may be improved by a bit more water or blending with fruit (see below for a recipe idea)
Mixability	A little grainy, but otherwise good; give it a shake every now and then if you’ll take a while finishing it	Very smooth, perhaps due to lack of sugars to dissolve
Functionality	Great sustained energy, fast-acting, hydrating	Great sustained energy, fast-acting, hydrating
Packaging	Individual – a little hard to open, which may be annoying on-the-go Canister – the original canisters are a bit cumbersome to cart along in a gym bag, but not as big as the protein powder canisters; new smaller canisters are appearing on store shelves as stores sell off their older stock	Individual – easier to open, with tear-off notches; smaller packets that are slightly larger than the Electrolyte Hydrator packets Canister – these are the new much smaller ones, very portable
Unwelcome side effects	May cause mild jitters and the need to go to the washroom, which can be disadvantageous in the middle of a workout; try drinking it slowly over the course of half an hour, about 20-30 minutes before exercise, or using half the serving size	May cause mild jitters and a stronger need to go to the washroom than the original; same recommendation, or stick with the regular product
May be ideal for	Endurance exercise, high-energy cardio, workouts that burn lots of calories	People who are watching their sugar intake while wanting the energy to get a great workout

Overall, I love the Pre-Workout Energizer, and use it as an additional, quick and portable option for my workouts.  Though I also love pretty much all the Vega Sport products, I have to admit that I am honestly not as much a fan of the sugar-free product, but perhaps that is the result of being accustomed to the flavour of the regular product.  I tried it again recently, blending it in a smoothie instead of straight:

My PWE smoothie.

- 1 organic pear
- ½ scoop unflavoured hemp protein powder
- 1 packet/scoop sugar-free açai-berry Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer
- 12 oz. (1½ cups) water
- 4 ice cubes
Seed and dice the pear.  Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Drink immediately.  Variation: replace the pear with a banana.

I did find that blending the product into a pre-workout smoothie helped the flavour.  Doing so on a regular basis, however, would probably negate any money saved by buying the cheaper sugar-free product.

Overall, if you're very busy and need a pre-workout energy solution that is portable and easy-to-consume, I highly recommend the Vega Sport line.  Choose whichever one is right for you.  

For those who like to plan ahead, and to save money, you can try to make your own simplified version to keep in your fridge:

- 1 Tbsp. organic yerba mate loose-leaf tea
- 4 cups hot water
- 2 tsp. raw honey or maple syrup
- a pitcher with lots of ice
- juice of 1 fresh lemon
Brew the loose-leaf tea in the hot water.  Add the raw honey (if using) to the steeping tea so it dissolves completely.  Steep about 15 minutes and remove or strain out the tea leaves, pouring the hot water into the pitcher filled with ice.  (This is the flash-chill method to make iced tea.  Alternatively, place the pitcher of freshly steeped tea in the fridge for several hours until cold.)  Stir and add more ice if needed until cold.  Squeeze the lemon juice into the pitcher.  Makes about 4-6 cups of iced tea, depending on how much ice you use.  Drink 1 cup as needed about half an hour before exercise.  Also great to improve alertness and focus throughout the day.

Now go and get the best out of your workout!

The advice in this article is not meant to replace the advice of your doctor or health professional.  Use caution when adding new supplements to your health regimen.  Vega Sport supplements are generally not recommended for women who are pregnant or nursing, or for people under 18 years of age.  Always read the labels for product-specific contraindications.  Product info is also available online at http://myvega.com/.  I am not affiliated with the supplement company mentioned in this post and receive no compensation for my review.